Louis was at his locker during break, leaning against it and reading a bit of his book, glad the hallways were slightly empty, only the occasional student walking by.

If this was some made-up teen movie, Ashton Irwin would probably be the one to appear by his side, or maybe even Harry, but it was fucking Ed.

"Hey, Louis."

Louis didn't even flinch, he just peered over his glasses at the red-head before looking back down.

"What are you reading?"

"A book," Louis sassed, pursing his lips.

Ed blushed, scratching his neck and laughing awkwardly. "Well, um, y-yeah, but what book?"

Louis snapped his book shut and held it up. Ed read the title before smiling softly. "It's really good, isn't it?"

"You've read it?" Louis asked, cracking his wall a but due to curiosity.

"You know I like to read," Ed said casually, taking The Da Vinci Code from Louis's hands and fingering the spine.

Louis shrugged, looking at Ed and just taking him in.

"Y'know... I miss-"

"Hey, Lou!"

And now Harry shows up.

Harry hooked an arm around Louis's shoulder, looking at Ed.

"Hey, Ed, what's up?"

"Nothing. Just, um, asking Louis about his book," Ed said softly, handing the book back to its owner.

"Louis likes to read," Harry said, snuggling his face into Louis's neck.

How did Harry know that?

"Yeah, I know," Ed blurted, making Harry look up, green eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"No need to get all sassy, Sheeran. I didn't know you and Louis were friends."

"Oh, we aren't!" Louis said quickly. Harry chuckled.

"I know, baby, it's okay." Louis tensed as Harry kissed the spot of skin behind his ear but immediately relaxed when Harry kissed a little more down his neck.

"Okay, well I'm gonna go," Ed mumbled, turning on his heel and leaving.

Harry snickered, pulling away from Louis and watching as Louis opened the book again.

"Aw, look at the fake couple."

Louis and Harry both looked up to see Ian, waking towards them. Jerk.

"Fake couple?" Louis said, raising an eyebrow.

"Fake couple," Ian repeated.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, wrapping his arm around Louis.

"You know, Harry, I didn't think you'd scoop as low as pretending to be gay."

"What do you mean? I'm not pretending," Harry said cooly, eyeing Ian carefully. "Louis and I aren't even a couple."

Ian chuckled, raising his eyebrows. "Even if you were a real couple, Harry, you're going to loose your popularity-"

"Louis and I aren't together. But even if we were, we'd make a fantastic couple. Cutest couple, even."

"Like, the cutest couple title?"

"What's that?" Harry asked slowly.

"At the end of each school year, the yearbook has a cutest couple for each grade level," Louis explained, keeping his blue eyes on Ian.

"And I bet you two couldn't win it," Ian added, smirking.

"Bet? Louis and I don't need a bet to make us a couple," Harry said slowly.

"Or you know that you too are too big of fags to win."

Harry was shaking, he was so angry. He glared at Ian. "What's the bet, then?"

"You get to say 'I told you so'," Ian said, laughing.

"I don't need to bet him anything. We can do it for ourselves," Louis said so quietly, Harry almost didn't hear him.

Harry watched as Louis's wide, scared blue eyes turned to him, Harry, for help.

Harry glared at Ian. "Louis and I will make cutest couple."

Ian chuckled, smirked. "Good luck with that."

~~~

It happened on the way to seventh.

Louis was walking with Harry when the younger lad suddenly reached over and clasped Louis's hand, visibly showing off their linked hands as they walked down the crowded hallways.

"Harry," Louis whispered as people looked over at them. "I don't-"

"Shhhh," Harry whispered back, stopping Louis in the middle of the hallway. "Trust me, Louis. You can do that?"

Louis smiled softly, nodding. "Of course, Harry, I-"

Louis stopped mid-sentence as Harry's lips met his. It was quick and Louis hardly felt Harry's lips, but his heart rate sped up by a zillion, at least.

Harry smiled, darting back in for another kiss, a little longer, but just hardly. Louis smiled shyly when Harry pulled away, face flushed, and they continued on, ignoring the stares.

Once in the office, Louis was panicking.

"Harry, why'd you do that?!" He hissed as he shut the door. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Chill out, Louis, it was a kiss." Harry wrinkles his nose a bit. "I kissed a boy."

"Harry, Ian is onto us," Louis said coldly, sitting on the couch. To his surprise Harry sat beside him, really close to him.

"Okay? Let's play it off a little better. I don't exactly seem like someone who would be gay, but who can judge like that? Ian can. Because he's an asshole."

"Fine."

"And you need to practice your kissing. It's horrid," Harry said with a small laugh. "You've never been kissed?"

Louis blushed, thinking back, because, yeah, he has been kissed and it was a boy and it was pretty great.

"One time. It was a while ago."

"Kissing is easy," Harry said like an expert, leaning in closer to Louis and making his heart jump every time it beat.

"Louis, relax, yeah? Calm down. Look at me."

Louis let his eyes meet Harry's. They were so green and so pretty, so easy for Louis to get lost in. He could feel Harry's breath in the corner of his mouth but he was relaxed now, just looking into Harry's eyes.

Harry's lips were on his, slightly chapped like Louis had noticed before, and he tasted like bubble gum, Louis realized once Harry's lips were on his for at least five seconds.

He expected Harry to move back, but Harry moved his lips and Louis shyly followed his actions, trying his hardest to keep up as Harry's hand grabbed his hip and pulled him closer.

"You can touch me," Harry said into Louis's mouth and that was so hot. Louis immediately put his hand on Harry's cheek, feeling the slight stubble and the way Harry's dimples poked in even while he was kissing.

Louis was starting to loose his breath until Harry pulled away, smiling widely. "Lou, that was really good!"

And, oh yeah, that was a lesson. Louis blushed, fumbling with words, but he just shrugged instead, not making eye contact with Harry.

"What did I say about looking at me?"

Louis looked up immediately at Harry's demanding tone, catching Harry's eye again.

"That was good. I promise."

Louis smiled shyly. "Thanks, Harry."

Harry smiled back, patting Louis's cheek and going to sit in his chair. Louis stared at him for a second before pulling out his book.

~~~

That was a short chapter, I know. So. Next is The party and then a very.... Special chapter. 👀

QOTC: what do you think about Ian betting them for cutest couple? Can they do it?

PQOTC: have you ever read or seen The Da Vinci Code?

MA: I'm reading it and it's good I likie

Comments are going up which means that I can't get to reading them all. It's really hard, but you guys know that I take time and I often respond and I appreciate it! Keep commenting, because I'm trying to read and respond!

Xx